ANGUS MACINTYRE: We ignore history's lessons at our peril - dictators do not stop

Published: 17:54 EST, 14 November 2026 | Updated: 18:05 EST, 14 November 2026 The war in Ukraine is now just a few months shy of entering its fifth year.As an officer who completed tours in both Afghanistan and Iraq, I can honestly say this is the most intense and brutal conflict of my lifetime.It has resurrected the sort of industrial warfare most of us in Europe thought belonged to the first half of the 20th century, with entire towns and cities reduced to rubble by sustained artillery bombardment on a huge scale.As Nigel Farage has remarked, Vladimir Putin is now like a cornered rat – reckless, aggressive and unpredictable.History teaches us painful lessons that we ignore at our peril. Dictators do not stop if you simply acquiesce.When Ukraine’s front line goes backwards, Putin’s appetite only grows. This is a man who remains deeply influenced by the legacy of the Soviet Union and Stalinist expansionism.I am well aware that Reform UK’s opponents have questioned the party’s commitment to defence. There have been all sorts of remarks made about Reform’s former Welsh leader Nathan Gill, who was rightly jailed for taking bribes for pro-Russian interviews. I say: good riddance. As Nigel Farage has remarked, Vladimir Putin is now like a cornered rat – reckless, aggressive and unpredictableI would not have given up a 40-year career in the military unless I knew Reform would put the British interest first. My first act in the job has been to launch a National Security Review, in which we have already classified Russia, Iran and China as fundamental threats to the West.When dealing with their aggression, what is required is a clear, undeniable show of strength to deter further aggression and protect our national sovereignty.But under Tory and Labour governments, our Armed Forces have been gutted.That is why Reform UK will accelerate defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP by 2030, rising to 3.5 per cent by 2035, rebuilding our depleted military stockpiles, restoring our ability to sustain ourselves in a conflict.The threats facing this country are severe. But Nigel Farage and I will never take a backwards step.